Buonaguro used this as an example because he doesn’t want the Saints to overlook Division II Adelphi in an exhibition on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Times Union Center.

“If they beat us, they get great publicity out of it,” Buonaguro said. “It’s a new coach, Dom Savino, who’s a friend of mine, so he’s going to come in here and want to show well. We’ve got to be ready to go.”

It’ll be the unofficial debut of Buonaguro as Siena’s head coach, allowing players to get familiar with him now that he’s running things from the sidelines following five years as a Saints assistant.

“I think it’s twofold,” said Buonaguro, in his first head coaching job since leading Fairfield from 1985-91. “It’s important that I get back as a head coach and get a feel for what I want to do. And they’re going to get a feel for how I’m going to coach. They have a feel now after 13 practices, but tomorrow it’s under the lights … Tomorrow is a dry run.”

Siena had originally planned to face Division I Princeton in a closed scrimmage this weekend, but that fell through because the Saints play at the Tigers in a regular-season game on Nov. 28.

“This is good because it’s going to be a dry run at the arena, too,” Buonaguro said. “I get a chance to coach down there. We’re going to coach it like a regular game … The opponent is a team that’s had good success, so we’ve got to play. We can’t just show up.”

Buonaguro noted that this game will present a different challenge for the Saints because Adelphi plays a small lineup.

He anticipates Adelphi applying some defensive pressure, which could be a good thing because Siena’s three inexperienced point guards need seasoning.

“We not only need that, but it’ll be good to see how we handle it, and maybe some adjustments we have to make,” Buonaguro said.

Buonaguro said he plans on using a starting lineup of senior Ryan Rossiter at center, sophomore O.D. Anosike at power forward, junior Owen Wignot at small forward, senior Clarence Jackson at shooting guard and junior Kyle Griffin at point guard.

Rossiter (knees) and Jackson (foot) have been slowed in practice, but Buoanguro anticipated they would play on Saturday.

“We saw (Adelphi) on film,” Rossiter said. “They’re very scrappy. I think what they lack in height, they make up for in hustle and effort. They’re still getting five guys on the glass. They’re still going to run you. So it’s not going to be a game where we expect to walk in there and have an easy one. I think it’s going to be a tough one tomorrow.”